Slew City Slew Pensioned at Airdrie

Slew City Slew, one of Seattle Slew’s leading sons at stud, has been pensioned at age 27 at Brereton C. Jones’ Airdrie Stud near Midway, Ky., because of declining fertility. Slew City Slew, out of grade I winner Weber City Miss (by Berkley Prince), entered stud at Airdrie in 1990.

A two-time grade I winner, Slew City Slew carved out a niche as an affordable Central Kentucky stallion known for passing on both ability and soundness. He is represented by 54 stakes winners and the earners of more than $44.5 million.

“Slew City Slew was the quintessential racehorse sire,” Jones said. “He established a great reputation among breeders as an affordable stallion that would get you a good, sound, tough racehorse and that’s why he was able to stay competitive in the tough Kentucky market for all these years. He’s been awfully good to us for a long time, and he’ll continue to live out the rest of his life in the best of care.”

Racing for Joe Allen and Tayhill Stable, Slew City Slew won or placed in 13 stakes. At 5 in 1989 he captured the Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. I) and the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. I). The year before, he won four stakes including the Salvator Mile Handicap (gr. III) and the Polynesian Handicap (in track-record time).

Lava Man proved to be Slew City Slew’s most prominent runner. Racing last decade, Lava Man duplicated the feat of the great Native Diver when winning three consecutive runnings of the Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I). One of California’s great runners, Lava Man also won two consecutive runnings of the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), plus the Pacific Classic Stakes (gr. I) and the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (gr. IT). Lava Man became the first horse to win grade I stakes on dirt, turf, and synthetic surfaces.

Slew City Slew’s other stakes winners include Ashland Stakes (gr. I) winner Sis City and Canadian Horse of the Year Win City, plus numerous other graded winners.

To date, Slew City Slew is represented by 912 foals of racing age, of which 761 have started and 555 have won.